Date: Fri, 12 Apr 1996 04:17:27 -0400 (EDT) From: A Jay Eddy Subject: AmFedVets Alert - Circulate (fwd) "We Are One" THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF VETERANS "An Alliance for Equality of Rights" Contact: Karl Clark, AFV National President E-Mail: karlclark@aol.com April, 12, 1996 P.O. Box 1281, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33302 ***************************************************************** FUNDAMENTALIST FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL FORTIFIES GAY INQUISITION The American Federation of Veterans (AmFedVets) takes exception to the actions of Elaine Donnelly of Livonia, Mich., President of the Center for Military Readiness Project (MRP) and its apparent umbrella evangelical activists Family Research Council (FRC) who continue a supportive legal inquisition against "Gays in the Military." We sadly agree with MRP Director, retired Lt.Col. Robert Maginnis and his legal attache' Melissa Wells-Petry, a former Army litigator, both seemingly politically active fundamentalists who allegedly suggest that " 'Don't Ask - Don't Tell' is only a political myth." Intolerantly, they go feverishly beyond any type of acceptance. They hold as gospel 10 U.S.C. Sec. 654 barring "all homosexuals" from any type of service whatsoever. AmFedVets adamantly believes that the policy adopted by the House, Senate and codified by the President has never truly been a compromise, nor a deal that gay women and men who are service- members and veterans endorsed, but rather a charade' draped in the cover-up of the "Rand Report" and the fallaciously distorted video the "Gay Agenda" produced by Rev.Ty Beeson, circulated by the 700 Club and supported by anti-gay militant Col. Mundy. In espousing the skewed studies on gays, by the APA defrocked Dr.Paul Cameron in "Focus on the Family-The Homosexual Agenda," zealots bare "false witness" against those they would seemingly deny are equally "The Children of God" tragically attempting to subliminally portray a minority as the stereo-typical demonic images contrived in the works of Germany's Klar and Himmler. AmFedVets further hold that the persecution of qualified, ded- icated and patriotic U.S. citizens, by a powerful minority of misguided zealots and far-to-the-right conservative militarists, is a denial of equality of rights to a minority while such rights are fully enjoyed by a majority. These actions further fortify the denial of "Freedom of Speech" and "Freedom of Religion" by deceptively circumventing a long-held American tradition and belief in "Freedom from Religious Persecution" and "No taxation without full representation." We concur with Michell Beneke, co-director of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network,who recently announced outright disappoint- ment in the Richenberg and Thomasson decisions. We disagree with retired Lt.Col. Robert Maginnis, a paid lobbyist, who rejoiced over the decision and whose alleged radical fundamentalist support would relish over an old-line Holocaust against "Gays in the Military." Such rigidly active evangelical zealots refute the mutual love, respect and intent of the "Golden Rule" and some now claim they emerge as the real essence of the Biblical brimstone and fire anti-Christ image of fear and condemnation void of love, forgiveness and righteous compassion.